What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? Love blossoms, of course! Itazura na Kiss is the anime adaptation of the smash hit manga of the same name that published in the late 1990s. However, due to the sudden death of the mangaka, Karou Tada, the manga never reached its intended climax. After the release of three successful live action series (and another later in 2010), TMS Entertainment decided to conceptualize the ending and produce a 25 episode anime series.
Itazura na Kiss follows Kotoko, a naive and clumsy girl who falls head over heels for the brilliant and handsome Naoki. Unfortunately for her, he is the king of all tsunderes and refuses to even cast a second glance at her. After Kotoko’s house is destroyed due to some silly reason, she is forced to move into (*gasps*) Naoki’s house. The rest of the story is dedicated to Kotoko’s pursuit of her Prince Charming and the struggles on how a relationship might not always but be milk and roses, especially if the girl’s a klutz and the guy’s heart is made of stone.
Right off the bat, it has to be mentioned that Itazura stands out mainly because of telling the tale even after the couple unite. Seeing that this is a shoujo, I don’t think I’m bursting anyone’s bubble here. In fact, that is the selling point of this anime – it has a story even after the much awaited confession and acceptance.
The story of this anime is like a very bumpy road trip – it’s rough, rutted and will frustrate, but when it’s good, it’s a real joy. At the core, this show is a rom-com and delivers well to a decent extent on both ends. Shoujo enthusiasts will be delighted to see their most beloved clichés wrapped into a well executed package. The plot twists are steep enough to keep most guessing and although it can test one’s patience with cheesy dialogues, there isn’t a single moment in this anime that will make you bored.
However, Itazura’s story is, as mentioned a few lines ago, extremely patchy. This can be attributed to the overdose of comic relief, which serves as a total mood crusher. Just when the show has a good rapport going with the viewer, plunging its tendrils into our hearts, it immediately barricades itself with its corny sense of humor and excessive chibi. It fails to take itself seriously. Moments that have so much potential to be moving and memorable are completely underutilized because of the anime’s inability to be consistent with the mood. Now, the jokes are good and will give you a good chuckle or two, but they soon grow to be as annoying as a weight machine next to an all-you-can-eat buffet. It’s a good thing that the show steps up its game episode 18 upwards, from where things are far more consistent and gripping.
The entire concept of love and romance in the anime (like many generic shoujo) is twisted. According to Itazura rules, people are like Pokemon – you gotta capture them. The one who has just a one-sided crush becomes madly in love with the other person and become delirious to all reason and logic. They will instantly abandon all their dignity and self-esteem. “Love” here is more or less synonymous with “stalking”. Love someone? Confess to them, follow them and pester them until they finally give in. But this approach is what kept the chemistry between the leads, so it is forgivable.
The animation is very mediocre. Despite being a 2008 anime, the backgrounds are average and the detailing is so-so. My major gripe here is the terrible consistency in Kotoko’s face. For comedic effects, they stretch her face until she looks like a pancake and the next second she looks like a mature teenager with beautiful flowing hair. Lots of facepalm-worthy moments. There were some nice touches, like the changing of hairstyles and a decent variation of clothes, which is something that most anime tend to neglect. Overall, it’s a decent job by the animation department, nothing more.
The soundtrack is very standard with only a couple of pieces standing out. It’s fitting and is never a hindrance or a pleasure. The OP was nothing special and the first ED was a threat to my eardrum’s safety. The second one, on the other hand, was a marvelous track and had great vocals.
The characters are the biggest offenders here. No, not all of them, just the one – Kotoko. While there is nothing wrong with having a clumsy girl, her simplicity often amounts to her acting like a three year old. Whether this maybe for forcing a smile or a “kawai” outcry, her flawed character is irritating. She lacks any self-esteem whatsoever and her childish antics can only be tolerated so much before you throw your hands up in exasperation. Her masochism is pretty high up the chart even for those usual suffer-in-silence shoujo female leads.
Naota on the other hand is a fantastic character. The aim of any character is to provoke a reaction from the viewer, be it is positive or negative. Naoki does the latter admirably, generating a lot of hate for his tsunderity and strong willed single-mindedness. He manages to retain your attention for every second of his air time. The rest of the cast all play their role and there are a lot of recurring ones excluding the family. Plenty of new characters are thrown into the mix along the way and they are always welcome additions.
Like the story, the enjoyment will be in bits and pieces as well. One must have a, how shall I say it, wide sense of humor in order to relish the anime’s weak, yet persistent, sense of humor. The initial episodes will have you tearing up with laughter, but as the show progresses, the charm wears off. It fails to move away from the same and washed out slapstick jokes and the end result is a viewer grudgingly getting past these “filler” scenes waiting for the real deal. And the real deal, the romantic scenes, is quite a spectacle. Every time a truly serious situation arises, the chemistry between the arrogant Adonis and the diligent dame does not disappoint. Those looking for the lovey-dovey atmosphere with a touch of class will find exactly what they are looking for in this anime. There are some exceptionally memorable scenes which will make your heart swoon for the couple. This is especially so in the latter half of the series, when the anime (along with the characters) matures.
[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Itazura na Kiss is a fantastic anime for those looking for a light hearted rom-com that will entertain more than anything else. TMS Entertainment has done a great job in condensing the pioneering decade-long manga into a well executed 25 episode series. The place where this anime severely lacks is in consistency, largely due to the fact that the humor was shallow and the same jokes were used one too many times. The heartwarming romance is present, but is heavily underplayed and could definitely have been so much more emotional. The animation and sound departments are average and are nothing special. The lead couple is a total yin and yang and while it does make for an enjoyable chemistry, Kotoko is a horrendously flawed character and can be beyond irritating at times. Itazura na Kiss is recommended if you’re looking for something that will cheer you up, while satisfying the shoujo void in your heart and providing a great “after story”, but just don’t go in expecting anything too deep.
